Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-08-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondence Of the Standard.

q contract for the construction OF two
steel gunboats Of 1,70O tons displace-
ment and three steel cruisers of 1900
tons displacement, at a cost not to
exceed 81 100000. The tests of speed
and capacity exacted by the govern
ment from the contractors are the
severest ever imposed and afford a
sufficient guarantee that the work
will be well and faithfully performed,
for the ship builders are under obliga-
tions 10 fulfill their contracts literally.
If the United States is soon on her
feet rs frst-class naval power, which
l feel safe in predicting will come to
pass, she will be more indebted to
the able administration and fine busi-
ness methods of Secretary Whitney
than to any other source for that
most desirable result. l believe that
personally as well as officially, none
of the Cabinet are more popular than
the accomplished Secretary OF the
Navy.
To date, applications for prepay
ment of interest under Secretary
Fairchild's bond circular have been
received amounting to nearly seven
million dollars.
\ statement prepared by the Treas
ury shows that the cost Of silver bull
lion bought by the Department for
the coinage of silver dollars for the
fiscal year, ending June 3Oth, 1887,
was $24 4,563, ,615, while the cost of the
bullion delivered OH purchases was only
about one hundred dollars in excess
of the above amount and the number
of silver dollars coined was, 80 ,266, ,S3l
The issue of standard silver dollars fol
that week from the mint amounted te
$472,213; for the same period last
year it was $685., ,173.
The Commissioner of Patents hal
Just made decision of great impor
tance to patentees, to the effect tha
the working of q claim must b.
specific and not so general and indefi
mite as to embrace future improve
ments. The Commissioner rules tina
a patentee must indicate his specia
invention in order that other invcn
tors may not be debarred by a paten
with doubtful claims-such effect be
ing to bar all future improvements
This week, for the first time in tel
years a patent was extended by specis
enactment of Congress. This powe
when formerly vested in the Commi'
sioner Of Patents, was matter of con
mon occurrence, but now, such an vi
dertaking is difficult to accomplish, q
Congress is reluctant to exercise il
authority in this respect.
Under resolution of Congress tf
National Museum will, this week. shi
to the Minneapolis Industrial Expos
ton a number of exhibits containin
Esquimaux and Indian costumes an
blankets and many implements OF sa
sge warfare and weapons used in IL
chase, to say nothing of many thin
of a civilized nature too numerous
mention, the idea being to lend Il
Exposition enough articles to give
sort of synopsis of the contents OF Il
. Museum, such as cannot be conve
iently sent or duplicated. Among Il
number Gen. Grants relics and q
!. Easter Island image will be phot
graphed and the pictures sent on.
Secretary Bayard will deliver t
address of welcome to the Intern
tional Medical Congress, which met
in Washington early in Septemb
Every civilized nation will be rep
I. sented, and it is expected that ful
5000 physicians and surgeons will
in attendance, not to mention t
4. Thousands of vieitors who will be
Id tracted thither by q meeting the Ii
d. of which the world has never SCI
n That important results, both to the
vancement of science and the we'll
= ing of humanity, will follow the del
erations of this vast assemblage OF
disciples of the healing art, goes wi
out saying.
In the words of Holy Writ, althor
that good Republican, Forger Harv
'G has not yet gone to glory, but the
bany penitentiary instead,'" His wo
. do follow him." for, during the r
e three days $50 horse claims allo'
Ice upon the recommendation of that
IN. IN, terprieing individual, have been c
.n' celled by the Treasury officials.
business that Harvey had any conr
. ton with is being carefully scrutinii
y. Among the recent promotions
!. the Interior Department was that
full-blooded Indian, appointed in Il
from a clerkship of $1,000 to II,
.. He was educated at mission sch
He often acts as interpreter, ant
- probably the only one of his race h
ing such lucrative Federal appo
- ment.
'ut The War Department has relic
from duty the army Paymaster,
Of allowed cowboy to rob him OF 81
in Wyoming Territory last Wi,
''' the suspension to be effective ,
that amount is paid the Governm